Mourning Akua Donkor

In 2020, Madam Akua Donkor was my “excuse” for not voting for any of the two main political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

I believe in a one-tenure presidency, where presidents serve for just one term and leave the scene.

Also in 2020, I held the conviction that not voting disqualified any Ghanaian from engaging in any discussions on politics. (NOW).

While animatedly outlining my convictions about the superiority of working institutions over presidents, a friend retorted, “That is in ideal situations, where there are efficient structures, systems and institutions. We don’t have them!”

However, I held on to my convictions and in keeping with them, and against the cajoling of friends, while ensuring I had a right to speak my mind on political issues, Madam Akua Donkor provided me with the opportunity to vote, thus, I voted for her.

Madam Akua Donkor did not disappoint her followers since her debut on the presidential candidature scene in 2012, as an independent candidate, having served formerly as an assembly woman for Heman.

She was disqualified because she did not meet all the requirements, so she backed Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP).

In 2016, with her party the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), she was once again disqualified from contesting.

She was tenacious and tried again in 2020, succeeding to be on the ballot sheet.

The fact that she was a farmer and had never rubbed shoulders with the nation’s top political gurus at the national level did not dissuade her from contesting.

She spoke her mind, as she saw it and whenever she had the opportunity, even though she did not speak English.

On that fact, she had a word of advice for all, to hold on to their local language and honour God, as doing otherwise was dishonourable in God’s sight.

She promised to ban the speaking of English when elected President, as “fine English” was not what was needed in ruling a country, but common sense, wisdom and courage.

Listening again to Akua Donkor’s interviews now points to her practicality in governance, as, for her, no law or bureaucracy was too strong to break or do away with in order to realise the aspirations of the Ghanaian.

As president

As president, she would have been practical and down to earth, only for development solutions, unencumbered by red tapeism and all other man-made shenanigans.

"You have placed your trust in people who claim to have gone to school in major European universities and who can speak English, but these, you can see with me, failed miserably.

Now try the illiterate I am and I will not disappoint you," she told Ghanaians in her bid to rule.

Promises

Her political promises were simple... free cars and houses for journalists; a year’s maternity leave; free machetes and fertilisers for farmers, and the release of imprisoned loan defaulters.

Although I knew she was not going to win, I threw in my lot with her as a protest vote against the dominant parties and in the belief of her viability as President.

She, however, disappointed me because after voting for her, she was seen on December 9, 2020, commiserating with candidate Akufo-Addo, saying, Wo ye den a woanya, Mi se woanya, (to wit: whatever you do you have won, I say you have won...”), when the winner was yet to be declared.

By that act, she was backing the NPP and President Akufo-Addo, exactly what I was against.

I mourn Madam Akua Donkor, the most practical president Ghana could have had... But for death.

Now I am bereft of a “protest” candidate in the 2024 Elections. I have also grown out of the conviction that not voting deprives one of not contributing to political discussions, after all, nothing changes.

Writer’s E-mail: caroline.boateng@graphic.com.gh